The first awards for heroism are presented by the National Court of Honor.

1912

By 1912, Scouts are enrolled in every state.

The first Eagle Scout Award is earned by Arthur Eldred in Troop 1 in Oceanside, New York. A few weeks after becoming the first Eagle Scout, Eldred helps save another Scout from drowning and is awarded the Honor Medal for his actions.

Scouts mobilize for the first of a series of national civic Good Turns, including the promotion of a safe and sane Fourth of July. Other community Good Turns begin.

The Department of Education establishes a national office to train all Scouters.

The Order of the Arrow (OA) is founded by Dr. E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson at the Treasure Island Camp of the Philadelphia Council.

1916

Congress grants the Boy Scouts of America a federal charter on June 15, giving special protection to the name and insignia and limiting membership to American citizens.

1917

The day after war is declared on Germany, under the slogan "Every Scout to Feed a Soldier," BSA members are urged to plant vegetable gardens. In two plant-growing seasons, 12,000 Scout farms are established. At the same time, the BSA pledges to aid the American Red Cross and promises cooperation with the U.S. Navy by organizing Scout coastal patrols to watch for enemy ships.

Scouting's full resources are placed at the service of the government as part of the war effort. From 1917 to 1918, Scouts sell 2,350,977 Liberty Loan bonds, totaling $147,876,902; and war savings stamps, to a value of $53,043,698. More than 300 million pieces of government literature are distributed, and services rendered include food and fuel conservation and Boy Scout war gardens.

1918

After the signing of the armistice, the slogan "The War Is Over, But Our Work Is Not" is adopted. Scouts render nationwide service during the influenza epidemic.

The first service club sponsorship of troops is inaugurated by Rotary International.

1919

A systematic method of developing cooperation with religious organizations is adopted.

The first gold Honor medals are awarded by the National Court of Honor for saving life at risk of the rescuer's own.

1920s

1920

The First World Jamboree is held in England; Boy Scouts from 32 of 52 countries are present. The Boy Scouts of America sends 301 members.

1921

Outstanding civic Good Turns are rendered in forest conservation and in connection with the floods at Pueblo, Colorado, and San Antonio, Texas.

1924

The Every Scout a Swimmer program is inaugurated.

The first achievement badges are earned by physically disabled Scouts.

The Lone Scouts of America merges with the Boy Scouts of America.

1926

The first Silver Buffalo awards for distinguished service to boyhood are presented.

The National Executive Board authorizes development of a program for younger boys, which will eventually become Cub Scouting.

The Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation is formally opened and dedicated.

1934

In response to the request of President Roosevelt in a radio address delivered February 10, Boy Scouts perform a nationwide Good Turn, collecting 1,812,284 items of clothing, household furnishings, foodstuffs, and supplies for the distressed and needy.

The First National Jamboree is held in Washington from June 30 to July 9, at the invitation of President Roosevelt, with an attendance of 27,232.

1938

Waite Phillips donates Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp (later to become Philmont Scout Ranch--see 1941) consisting of 35,857 acres of land on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, near Cimarron, New Mexico.

1939

Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp opens for advanced Scout camping.

1940s

1941

With the declaration of war, the government requests Boy Scout service for the distribution of defense bonds and stamp posters; collection of aluminum and wastepaper; defense housing surveys; victory gardens; distribution of air-raid posters; cooperation with the American Red Cross; and, by joint agreement with the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, services in three capacities--messengers, assisting emergency medical units, and firewatchers.

Waite Phillips makes another large gift--land, residence and ranch buildings, livestock, operating ranch equipment--contiguous to Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp, bringing total acreage to more than 127,000 acres. The area is renamed Philmont Scout Ranch.

1942

Scouts continue in war service. Twenty-eight projects are requested by the government, including the collection of 30 million pounds of rubber in a two-week drive; all-out salvage based on the government-issued pamphlet Scrap and How Scouts Collect It; distribution of pledge cards for war bonds and savings stamps; victory gardens; work on farms and in harvest camps; and government dispatch bearers.

1943

Scouts render war service at the request of the government in four general classifications: collections--aid in salvage drives; distribution, as official dispatch bearers for government pamphlets and posters; production; and conservation.

The first Silver Antelope awards are presented for distinguished service to youth within a region.

The total Boy Scout war service includes 69 requests from the government during 1941 through 1945.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower's outstanding Wastepaper Campaign culminates in the General Eisenhower Award; a gold medal is presented to him in December by the Boy Scouts of America in appreciation. Other service includes collections in many communities, distribution of circulars on conservation projects, and the Green Thumb program.

The 11th National Scout Jamboree is held July 24-30 at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. First lady Nancy Reagan pays a visit.

1986

The BSA is touched by the Challenger disaster, as two of the space shuttle crew members were active in Scouting as youths. Lt. Col. Ellison S. Onizuka attained the Eagle Scout rank in 1964 in Holualoa, Hawaii. Dr. Ronald E. McNair reached Star rank as a youth in Lake City, South Carolina.

The BSA conducts a nationwide Donor Awareness Good Turn to inform American families of the urgent need for donated human organs and tissue. An estimated 600,000 youth members distribute 14 million brochures to families, informing them of the need for donated human organs and tissue and urging them to make a commitment to donate.

1987

The Boy Scouts of America begins to address five "unacceptables" in American society: drug abuse, hunger, child abuse, illiteracy, and unemployment.

The nation's largest anti-drug abuse education campaign is launched with the release of a booklet titled Drugs: A Deadly Game.

1988

The first annual Scouting for Food drive collects more than 65 million containers of food.

The 11th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook is published. Its first printing yields 750,000 copies, bringing the total circulation of the Handbook since 1910 to nearly 36 million.

The coed Venturing program is launched. Venturing quickly becomes the fastest growing Scouting program, with a membership of more than 288,000 young men and women by the end of 2003.

Scouts collect more than 41 million cans of food to help feed the hungry.

1999

The new Venturer Handbook is introduced. A record number of Boy Scouts and Venturers earn Eagle Scout awards, with 47,582 young men attaining the prestigious rank.

2000s

2000

The Boy Scouts of America celebrates its 90th anniversary.

The BSA's 100 millionth youth is registered.

Scouts complete more than 214 million total hours of service for "America's Promise--The Alliance for Youth," surpassing the four-year goal of 200 million service hours by the end of 2000.

2001

The 15th National Scout Jamboree, held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, is the largest single-site jamboree since 1964, with more than 40,000 participants and an estimated 275,000 visitors.

In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, Scouts respond to our nation's call for assistance by collecting gloves, socks, toothbrushes, bottled water, and other necessities requested by rescue workers and victims.

2002

The National Scouting Museum reopens in a new 50,000-square-foot facility next door to the National Council office in Irving, Texas. The museum was formerly housed in Murray, Kentucky.

A total of 49,328 young men earn the rank of Eagle Scout--the largest one-year number ever in the history of the Boy Scouts of America.

2003

Venturing introduces the Quest Award for participants to learn about good nutrition, fitness, and sportsmanship.

2004

The BSA launches Good Turn for America, a national initiative to address the problems of hunger, homelessness/inadequate housing, and poor health. The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, and Habitat for Humanity join as national partners.

Some 200 Scouts come to the aid victims in the wake of Hurricane Charley.

The Boy Scouts of America helps kick off September as National Preparedness Month. Eagle Scout Tucker Barbour of Troop 500, chartered to the Capitol Hill Scouts in Washington, D.C., introduces Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge at the kickoff event on the grounds of the United States Capitol.